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The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF & G) convened an Escapement Goal Review Team to review salmon escapement goals for the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Region in preparation for the January 2007 meeting of the Alaska Board of Fisheries. To support that effort, salmon escapement data and abundance information for the Kuskokwim Area were updated through 2005 and are represented here. From our review of Kuskokwim data we recommend biological escapement goals (BEG) for chinook and sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and O. nerka, in the Middle Fork Goodnews River; sustainable escapement goals (SEG) for chinook salmon in the George, Kwethluk, and Tuluksak Rivers; a revised SEG for Aniak River chum salmon O. keta; and that SEGs based on aerial surveys be discontinued for chinook salmon in the Kwethluk and coho salmon, O. kisutch, in the Kanektok River. This report also summarizes much of the historical salmon escapement information for the Kuskokwim Area, but in a manner that is intended to focus on the needs for assessing inter-annual trends for escapement goals. This intent is achieved through an extensive series of appendices that present historical escapement information in a standardized manner. The main body of appendices is preceded by narrative that provides context useful in interpreting the information in the appendices. In many cases data sets in the appendices are truncated in order to address standardization needs. As such, investigators seeking more complete information should consult master escapement files maintained by ADF & G, original aerial survey forms, and detailed project reports.
This report provides the Alaska Board of Fisheries with information on Kuskokwim Area salmon stock status, including escapement and harvest data for the January 2023 regulatory meeting. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is responsible for managing Kuskokwim Area salmon stocks for sustained yield. Subsistence fishing occurs throughout the area whereas commercial salmon fishing is restricted to 4 districts within the Kuskokwim Area. Commercial fishing Districts 1 and 2 are within Kuskokwim River; Districts 4 and 5 are in Kuskokwim Bay and target salmon bound for the Kanektok and Goodnews Rivers. Chinook salmon runs to the Kuskokwim River have been low since 2010, which led to severe restrictions to conserve Chinook salmon from 2014–2022 and Federal Special Actions enacted within the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Since 2014, subsistence harvest of Chinook salmon has been well below established amounts reasonably necessary for subsistence (ANS), and commercial and sport fisheries have been closed during the Chinook salmon run. Chum salmon runs to the Kuskokwim River have declined to some of the lowest runs on record since 2020. Abundance of coho salmon to the Kuskokwim River have been below average since 2018, with 2022 being the lowest on record. Sockeye salmon abundance from 2016–2020 was average to above average for both lake and river-type life histories. The 2021 and 2022 sockeye salmon runs were mixed throughout the drainage with above-average lake-type abundance and below-average river-type abundance.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) interdivisional escapement goal review committee (committee) reviewed 41 escapement goals for Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. stocks in Lower Cook Inlet (LCI). Escapement goals were reviewed based on the Policy for the Management of Sustainable Salmon Fisheries (5 AAC 39.222) and the Policy for Statewide Salmon Escapement Goals (5 AAC 39.223) adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries into regulation in 2001. All of the existing goals were adopted in 2017, except for 1 chum salmon O. keta stock (McNeil River, adopted 2007) and 2 sockeye salmon O. nerka stocks (Bear and English Bay Lakes, adopted 2001). Except for 2 Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha stocks (Anchor and Ninilchik Rivers) and 4 sockeye salmon stocks (English Bay, Bear, Mikfik, and Chenik Lakes), salmon escapements in LCI are primarily monitored by single or multiple aerial and/or foot surveys of appropriate stream reaches. The resulting escapement indices do not provide absolute abundance estimates suitable for estimating biological escapement goals (BEG). Consequently, all LCI goals are sustainable escapement goals (SEG). There are no escapement goals for coho salmon O. kisutch in LCI. To improve management flexibility and consistency between management areas in Alaska, the committee supported LCI transitioning from stock-specific SEGs for pink (O. gorbuscha, 18 stocks) and chum (12 stocks) salmon to aggregate escapement goals for each of the 3 LCI districts with commercial fisheries targeting these species (Southern, Outer, and Kamishak). ADF&G will continue managing LCI Chinook (3 stocks) and sockeye (8 stocks) salmon using stock-specific SEGs, with 2 Chinook (Anchor and Ninilchik Rivers) and 2 sockeye salmon (Bear and English Bay Lakes) goals changing during this review period.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) interdivisional escapement goal review committee (committee) reviewed Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. escapement goals for major river systems in Lower Cook Inlet (LCI). There were 41 escapement goals evaluated in LCI during this review. Except for 2 Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha stocks (Anchor and Ninilchik rivers) and 4 sockeye salmon O. nerka, stocks (English Bay, Bear, Mikfik, and Chenik lakes), salmon escapements in LCI are primarily monitored by single or multiple aerial and/or foot surveys of appropriate stream reaches. The resulting escapement indices do not provide absolute abundance estimates suitable for estimating biological escapement goals (BEG). Consequently, ADF&G developed sustainable escapement goals (SEG) for 3 Chinook, 12 chum O. keta, 18 pink O. gorbuscha, and 8 sockeye salmon stocks monitored in LCI. There are no escapement goals for coho salmon O. kisutch in LCI. Escapement performance for Chinook, chum, pink, and sockeye salmon relative to the existing goals has been good during the past 4 years, with a harvestable surplus available in 33--100% of streams during most years. Because most of the current goals were implemented 15 years ago and new methods were recently developed for establishing SEGs, the committee recommended changing 37 of 41 escapement goals for salmon stocks in LCI to incorporate the additional escapement data and new methods.
Declines in the abundance of salmon in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) region of western Alaska in the late 1990s and early 2000s created hardships for the people and communities who depend on this resource. Based on recommendations from a 2004 National Academies report, the AYK Sustainable Salmon Initiative (SSI) developed a research and restoration plan to help understand the reasons for this decline and to help support sustainable management in the region. This report reviews the draft plan, recommending some clarification, shortening, and other improvements, with a better focus on the relationship between the underlying intellectual model and the research questions, and a clearer discussion of local and traditional knowledge and capacity building.
An Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) escapement goal review team evaluated salmon stocks in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) region in advance of the January 2019 Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) meeting. At the time of this review there existed 65 escapement goals for salmon stocks in the AYK region, including 5 optimum escapement goals established by the BOF. The review team did not recommend any new escapement goals be established at this time. The review team has recommended that 12 escapement goals be revised and 7 escapement goals be discontinued. The recommendations made by the review team were intended to align salmon escapement goals throughout the region with current fishery management practices and status of escapement monitoring programs. Within the Norton Sound-Port Clarence Area, the review team recommended discontinuing the Norton Sound Subdistrict 1 aggregate chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta goal and revising goals for the Eldorado, Nome, and Snake rivers which contribute to the aggregate. Revisions were also recommended for chum salmon goals established for the Kwiniuk and Tubutulik rivers and the sockeye salmon O. nerka goal established for Salmon Lake/Grand Central River. Within the Kotzebue Area, the review team recommended discontinuing the Kotzebue-wide aggregate chum salmon goal and individual chum salmon goals for the Salmon, Squirrel, and Tutuksuk rivers. Additionally, revisions were recommended for the 2 remaining chum salmon escapement goals established for the Noatak and Upper Kobuk/Selby rivers. Within the Yukon Area, the review team recommended discontinuation of the Tanana River fall chum salmon goal and revisions to fall chum salmon goals for the Delta and Chandalar rivers. Within the Kuskokwim Area, the review team recommended discontinuation of the Holitna River Chinook salmon O. tschawytscha aerial survey goal and revised the existing Chinook and sockeye salmon goals for the Middle Fork of Goodnews River.
An Alaska Department of Fish and Game Escapement Goal Review Team (review team) was convened to review salmon escapement goals for the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Region in preparation for the January 2007 meeting of the Alaska Board of Fisheries. The review team made recommendations to the Regional Supervisors of the Divisions of Commercial Fisheries and Sport Fish, who in turn make recommendations to the directors of the two divisions. The review team recommended establishing three new escapement goals in the Kuskokwim Management Area, no new goals in the Yukon Management Area, and two new goals in the Norton Sound-Port Clarence and Kotzebue Management Areas. In addition they recommended revising three escapement goals in the Kuskokwim Management Area (one for Chinook salmon, one for chum salmon, and one for sockeye salmon), none in the Yukon Management Area, and five chum salmon goals in the Kotzebue Management Area. They also recommended discontinuing one aerial survey escapement goal in the Kuskokwim Management Area where that goal was recommended to be replaced with a weir goal. While most of the recommended new goals are sustainable escapement goals, spawner-recruit analyses were performed to recommend biological escapement goals for Kobuk and Noatak rivers chum salmon in the Kotzebue Management Area and Middle Fork Goodnews River Chinook and Sockeye salmon in the Kuskokwim Management Area. The escapement goal review team also made recommendations for specific stocks to be reviewed in detail prior to the 2010 Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting.